War of the Tiger and Dragon

Being of the Dragon shinobi, Roku could blend with the darkness like a shadow into shade. He watched as the intruding Shinobi slowly came into his room, he squinted. He had closed the shutters in the room to make the room darker on purpose. But he slowly eased his way down behind her, being a quiet as death.

The room suddenly became dark which surprised Natsuki. She instantly turned around and held her knife in front of her face. Being of the Tiger clan, she inherited a few traits from the very tigers she and her clan commands. Her eyes glowed in the dark making it easier for her to see. She looked around slowly trying to spot where the intruder was.

"I know you're here...come out!" She knew whoever was here also knew that she was here so there was no use trying to hide.

Roku then tackled the intruder and pinned them on their stomach, not speaking at all. He pulled a kunai out and had it under her chin, but held it here. As if to say, 'any last words to them.'

Natsuki turned her back away from the window when she suddenly felt someone jump on her back and pin her down to the floor and held a weapon to her throat. She was caught.

'Nemo, hurry to the room below us! I have been caught. Come in and attack! Hurry!' She sent to Nemo hoping he could hear her. It wasn't the best idea having a huge tiger running through the inn, but she had no choice.

She found it odd that he didn't immediately slit her throat and just get it over with. "Why do you hesitate? Go ahead and kill me..." She said with no fear in her voice.

He listened to her voice, ".......................Natsuki?" he asked

Natsuki gasped suddenly, "....R-Roku." She listened to the voice that said her name. She was now almost certain it was him. Still, he had the knife to her throat and was holding her down tight.

He heard her reply and pulled his kunai away from her neck and let her up. He removed his face and head covers, showing it really was him. "By the gods........so it WAS you last night......what....what are you'd king here?" he asked her.

Natsuki scrambled away from him quickly. She kept her hood up making sure it really was him. When she saw his face, she was relieved and pulled her hood off. "It really is you..." Before she could explain, Nemo burst in through the window and growling and pounced at Roku pinning him to the floor ready to rip his throat out.

"Wow! Wow! Nemo stop it's ok! Let him go!" She said to the enraged tiger. Nemo looked down at the man. He knew he was an enemy.

"Nemo! I said let him go!" Finally, he relaxed and moved off of him. "Sorry. I called him to help me before I knew it was you..." She walked over to him to help him up.

Roku's eyes widen and he wasn't ready when he was punched on, he pushed his hands into Nemo's neck to keep him from about to rip his face off.

But he groaned as he got off, "Ow." he said said as he sat up, "HOW is able to get around without been seen?" he asked.

Nemo growled at the boy and took his place behind his mistress. Natsuki got down on her knees and helped him sit up. "Sorry, are you hurt?" She looked over his body for any wounds.

'Why do you help him, child? He is our enemy!' Nemo scolded her. 'Just be quiet and go back to the room before someone sees you. Quickly. I've got this.' Nemo obeyed and left them.

"It's a family secret. I can't tell you but I'm sure you will figure it out with time." She said. "You have quite the grip. You almost dislocated my shoulder." She chuckled.

"No I'm fine. Just getting knocked down was all." he said standing up. He wasn't worried about him in the least.

"My Apologies." Roku said when she mention about his grip. "Well...I was in kill mode....I was warned about...interruptions possibly during my mission." he said.

"Oh no, don't apologize. You were just doing your duty. It was more of a compliment." She said standing up.

"I should probably get back to my room. Sorry for the intrusion..." She said walking toward the door. She looked out of the corner of her eye and noticed the dagger she gave him sitting on a table. "Glad to see you found a good use for the gift I gave you." She smiled and waved to him before she left to go to her own room.

He smiled a little as they left the room. He sighed a little, 'This is going to be....either hard or easier....I just hope this isn't going to mess with the mission.'

Natsuki walked slowly to her room. She knew she was going to get an earful from Nemo. Right now, all she wanted to do was get a warm bath and a quick nap before she had to do her duties. The bath house across the street was quite inviting. It was still early, so not many people would be there. She decided to skip going back to her room to avoid Nemo's wrath and to go unwind at the bath house.

"This is going to be an interesting mission indeed." She said to herself as she exited the inn and walked over to the bath house.

Later that morning, getting dressed in his tavern attire and getting his headband on, Roku got about cleaning and prepping the Tavern for the afternoon opening. Getting some food prep done and as well as going to market to keep on the schedule.

Thought natsuki was on his mind as well, '...I just hope she's not going for the same thing as I am....it will get complicated if is that case.' he thought with a sigh.

After her bath and LONG lecture from Nemo, Natsuki put her heavy outfit on and went to do her job manning the herb cart outside the tavern. Nemo took his usual spot on top of the cart pretending to be a lazy cat.

Natsuki was slightly distracted for someone reason that morning. Every once in a while, she found herself looking inside the tavern watching Roku. She liked his smile. It was genuine and his face lit up.

'Pay attention to the mission and stop day dreaming about that dragon. He is your enemy remember?!' She quickly snapped out of it when she heard Nemo scolding her. She looked up at the tiny cat and just rolled her eyes.

Roku was collecting tea cups fro the outside tables when he noticed Natsuki in her disguise, '......so that's where's she's positioned.' he thought, but he just waved a little at her and went on inside to continue on with chores.

Natsuki smiled and waved back as she started to close up the cart for the evening. She covered the cart with a tarp and headed back inside. It looked like it was going to rain shortly. Nemo hurried inside and ran upstairs.

Natsuki found a tea cup that Roku missed and picked it up to bring it to him. The tavern was kinda slow and there were very few customers. "Here. You missed one." She said.

Roku blinked see Natsuki came into the tavern with a tea cup, "Oh thank you Natsuki." he said, sighing, I'll need to close early. Not many are coming with this rain coming." he said.

"Yeah, you look like you could use some help. Is it just you in here tonight?" She asked as she walked around to the other tables helping him gather cups and dishes.

"Yeah, I was planning on just serving azuki bean dumplings and fried fish and rice tonight, just simple fair." he said, I'm able to make those on my own wight he amount of time I have." he said.

"....You don't have to. THere's not too many customers."

"I don't mind. It beats going back to my room." Once she finished helping gather all the dishes, she could smell the food that was prepared. "It smells good. I would love some if you don't mind." She said taking a seat at the bar.

"Of course, it would be a waste if its not eaten." he said. He had Red-bean macho dumplings, coated in sesame seeds, along with small fish form fringe up on a flat hot surface and rice all good and ready to serve.

"Thank you very much. I haven't eaten all day." Her stomach growled to confirm that. She blushed slightly.

"You should pack something to eat for yourself during the day...if you put no fuel in your body you won't be able to focus." he said. "Eat what you need."